Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-26
HIS 10000 SPECIMENS.
THE GREATEST ENTOMoIoGlST IN
THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

THE GREATEST ENTOMoIoGlST IN
TIE WHOLE COUNTRY.
A Collection Of Rare Insects-Butterfiie, lie,
and Lepidopt-rai Curio.itis. Without
End-A Butterfly with "ss" on II.
Wings--rhe Dead Leaf
The most eminent authority on butter,
hies and moths in America is Herman
Strecker, Phi. D., of Reading. Pa He is
the one man who has made this place
familiar 10 scientists in every known quar-
ter Of the globe He inherited his fond
ness for scientific studies, and eyincel
this inclination al n very early age. The
great repository Of this lepidopteral col
lection is in fine three story brick man
sion, with skylights, and built in the
shady suburbs Of the city Up two flights
of stairs and We have entered into room
where the largest ana rareSt collection Of
butterflies in America is deposited-oyer
seventy Thousand different specimens
Here our distinguished entomologist is
happy. IL is night. and the shutters are
thrown wide open; during the day they
are barred for sunlight soon affects the
luster Of his treasures
On the north side of the wall pine case
| Is placed, looking much like the arrange
| ments OF a large post Office. We are told
that that Is the filed correspondence Of all
the distinguished scientists of entomology
cal fame in this and foreign countries,
covering thirty Years. The world is laid
under tribute by this man of artistic ge-
MUS and scientific research TO gain the
newest and best information of butterflies
and moths in every corner Of the globe.
FORTY YEARS OF LABOR
This collection of insects was forty years
| in gathering. and in the work more than
twenty Thousand dollars have been ex-
! pended. some Of the specimens cost 800,
several 500 and $50, and scores Of them
s. and $40. There is no private or public
collection in all this western hemis phere
that can equal it, The London museum
has somewhat larger collection, but III
order and rarity Of arranged specimens
this private collection would hot be ex-
changed for two Of England's kind, and
for none in II entire world II fir. should
sweep IL up, something in America would
have been destroyed that no century could
replace. The butterflies might be had
II the entomologist should just happen 10
be born and be also endowed with perSe-
verance and blessed with capital for the
task
There is no country, no climate, no al
titude, no solitude that has not been pene-
trated for the odd and beautiful specimens
Of butterflies here gathered. Some are rs
tiny as a musquito, and others Is large as
a half fiedged pigeon. The owl moth of
Brazil measures foot across the wings
Where do they come from, these many
different little creatures, When the
second Ross expedition WAS made in search
Of northwest passage in 1929 new
species Of Colias. afterwards called boot
hi, WAS found in few specimens, the
only ones known To- this day, one of which |
came later into possession Of Strecker's |
collection. Ii is the only sample of the |
species in America. Three Of the great
papilio sntimachus, from equatorial |
Africa, can he seen here. Only about a
dozen are known. Suites of the golden |
Crusus and lydius from Halmeheira the /
curious PsrnaSsus butterflies from 5000 |
feet elevation in the Hmalsyas and other |
mountains; the enormous cossus from |
Australia, which are eaten by the natives; |
the gorgeous rhsipheus flies from NADIA |
Then come monster curiosiries half male |
and half female; Those Of one wing, partly |
Of one sex and partly of another Sex; al |
binos, hybrids, melanos and extra winged |
and other freaks. Indians, EsquimauN, |
explorers, travellers and missionaries |
have all helped 10 this wonderful coliec
ton of butterflies.
MANY CURIOUS SPECIMENS.
Among the curious specimens may lie
mentioned the bee moth, So named from
its exact resemblance TO the bee or wasp.
He is a very counterfeit of the honey
making insect What freak is the
Oiketieus pair! The female has no wings,
no legs, never sees light nor takes food.
The winged gcntkman goeth as he pleaseth.
Then look AT the eccentric resemblance Of
the anchor moth - On the creamy buff
color a black anchor is marked, like a tat
tooed arm with the tar symbol. Here also
is resident Of the Amazon river forests,
known to the natives as eighty weights"
because of the figures ss marked Oh the
silyery white ground Of the under side Of
its hind wings. Then there is the curious
moth from Sierra Leone, in West Africa,
known as the Argus moth" 1t is re
markable for the unparalleled length Of
the tails Of the hind wings in the male.
Then there is the world famed dead leaf
Of China, India and the Pacific
islands. When the wings are open it has
a surface of grayish blue crossed by an
orange band; but when closed, as the
animal is at rest, the resemblance TO a
dead leaf is perfect. The day butterflies
number 1000 species: the night flies are
ten times as many.
To attempt o description OF the bewil-
dering effect as case after case is drawn
out from its hiding and samples Of the 90
000 specimens are displayed under the gas
light is simply futile The endless variety
of their forms, the gorgeousness of their
dress. have no equal among
any living thing Of the domain of nature.
What is pretty in emerald or sapphire,
what is brilliant in diamond or ruby. what
Is rich in plume of bird or leaf OF flower,
what is glorious in rainbow or sunset-an
can be found in this array Of insect Gre
alton dazzling, glistening, gayly disport-
ing under the flash of light.
The process Of preserving them is also
an art, and somewhat tedious task.
They are sent from distant entomologists
i,l labeled paper wraps, secured i'll boxes.
--hey are in no shape; they must be put
into "a wooden press of particular design,
must be poised on pins and rendered plia-
able in moist sand jar and then be ar
ranged with mathematical precision in
their respective cases. Exchanges are
made by the lepidopterists the world over,
which 90 the rounds, and specimens OF
insects are given and taken as the collec
tions may lack kinds. Cocoons even are
received from distant lands and are nursed
into life year afterwards. Reading PA
Cor New York World.